Bamboo & Cork Flooring Guide
Shop by Type
Bamboo
Most bamboo comes from Vietnam and China where bamboo grows quickly and can be harvested every seven to eight years. Bamboo is a renewable, environmentally friendly product. After harvesting, bamboo reproduces itself from the same stalk.?
Bamboo is technically a grass. It is naturally green before being stained. Bamboo flooring is very hard, with a Janka rating of 1100-1300, which is similar to the hardness of birch and some oak species. Bamboo is water- and stain-resistant and, because it’s a laminated product, is very stable.
Cork
Cork flooring is harvested from the cork oak species. It is strictly regulated, with harvesting limited to nine-year cycles. Individual cork oak trees must be at least 25 years old before they are harvested. The trees are never cut. Only the bark is removed, which grows back.?
In addition to its environmental benefits, there are many practical advantages of cork flooring. Cork is waterproof (think of the cork in a bottle). It’s also mold- and mildew-resistant due to a natural waxy substance inherent in cork called suberin. Cork also has fire retardant and acoustical properties and is resilient, with the ability to spring back after being compressed by furniture.
Bamboo & Cork Benefits
Bamboo
Easy maintenance: Sweep or vacuum regularly to remove small debris.
Water resistant: Material is more resistant to water damage, stains and warping in comparison to other materials.
Natural material: Enviromentally friendly renewable plant.
Durability: Harder and more resistant than wood, but can easily be refinished to give it a fresh new look when required.
Style: Can elevate the elegance in any space by creating a natural/exotic look.
Cork
Softness: Made of soft and pliable material that is very comfrotable to stand on for long periods of time.
Quiet: Relatively quiet to walk on compared to other options such as hardwood, or laminate flooring.
Resilient: Durability to bounce back from impressions from objects that would leave dents on its surface.
Non-slip: Texture that provides great levle of traction
Bamboo & Cork Terms
Floating Floor Installation — Tiles or planks are glued or snapped together.
Carbonized — The process of caramelizing the natural sugars present in bamboo through steaming. This helps to darken the bamboo.
Micro-Bevel — Flooring planks are cut slightly angled on the surface edges. Micro-bevel edges aid in the reduction of uneven plank heights while offering a more handcrafted appearance.
Mao Bamboo — Mao is one of the largest and strongest bamboo species and most used in the production of bamboo flooring.
Flooring Cleaners | Caring & Cleaning | Installation Services | Cleaning Services | Shop-at-Home Service
